Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to archery bows, and more particularly to an improved dynamic stabilizer for reducing vibration and torque of the bow during launch of an arrow.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Stabilizers and shock absorbers for archery bows have been utilized in the archery field for many years. Bows without such systems are affected by the shock and vibrations that occur during the launch and release of an arrow from the bow. Because the trajectory of the arrow is affected by any movement or vibration of the bow during the arrow""s launch, it is desirable to reduce and/or eliminate such shock, vibrations, and torque to the greatest extent possible.
Various types of stabilizers have been developed for archery bows. Many prior art stabilizers involve adding a cantilevered weight to the bow to increase the bow""s stability by increasing the bow""s inertial capacity. Many stabilizers are mounted forward of the bow with a means allowing relative movement between the weight and the bow along with a means to restore the stabilizer to its original position, such as a spring. Examples of various prior art stabilizers include spring-loaded stabilizers, fixed mass stabilizers, movable fluid stabilizers, and parallel rod stabilizers. In many cases, such stabilizers are adjustable by extending their length or adding weight to accommodate various conditions, archers, draw weights, and the like. However, all of these stabilizers have limited stabilizing effectiveness.
The stabilizer of the present invention comprises an elastomerically cushioned weight coaxially and movably mounted on an elastomerically cushioned support rod. In the preferred embodiment, the stabilizer includes a support rod, end caps, a vibration-absorbing mechanism, and a weight. The support rod is a generally cylindrical, elongated rigid member. The end caps are removably attached to each end of the support rod along the longitudinal central axis of the support rod. A threaded shaft, coaxial with the longitudinal central axis of the support rod, projects from the free end of one end cap to permit the stabilizer to removably attach to a threaded aperture in the forward face of a bow, or to a threaded aperture in a shock dampener or other archery bow accessory. The free end of the other end cap includes a threaded aperture, also coaxial with the longitudinal central axis of the support rod, to permit the removable attachment of other bow accessories to the stabilizer. The vibration-absorbing mechanism includes an elongated elastomeric tubular member that extends around and cushions the support rod, as well as a plurality of elastomeric cushioning rings that adjoin the weight coaxially on the support rod. The weight, generally cylindrical in shape, coaxially rides along the elastomerically cushioned support rod between the elastomeric cushioning rings and the end caps. In other embodiments of the present invention, the support rod may be lengthened and additional weights and cushioning rings may be added to achieve the desired stabilization effect. Additionally, the weights may be made adjustable by incorporating a means to add and/or remove ballast as necessary to achieve the desired stabilization effect.
The objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.